Music Lost Prince 10 Years Ago Today: Celebrate His Legacy with These 5 Iconic Moments

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It’s hard to believe that 10 years ago today, on April 21, 2016, music suffered a great loss when the one and only Prince Rogers Nelson was found dead at his Paisley Park estate. Affectionally dubbed “The Purple One,” he was nothing short of talented. 

He was a true musician. The seven-time Grammy winner was reported to play at least 27 instruments, an impressive feat by anyone’s standards. Along these lines, it should come as no surprise that he was also a prolific songwriter, creating massive hits for other big artists, including, Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You,” Sheila E.’s “The Glamorous Life,” and Sinéad O'Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.” And then there are all of the songs of his own catalog of music. 

Prince has hits upon hits, logging an impressive 47 entries as an artist on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart. From number ones like “Kiss” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” to iconic ballads like “Purple Rain” and “Diamonds and Pearls,” Prince lived up to being music royalty. By the way, the man sold over 150 million albums worldwide. 

With all that being said, and as a massive fan myself, I thought it was worth taking a look at his legacy and celebrating with five of his most iconic moments, ranked in no particular order (as that’s a task that would prove even more difficult). 

Prince Performs with Michael Jackson and James Brown

In a rare moment in 1983, Prince was on stage and wasn’t the only artist there with a metaphorical crown. James Brown (the Godfather of Soul) was performing at a concert and spotted Michael Jackson (the King of Pop) in the audience. Brown invited Jackson on stage to perform with him, which he did. Not long after, Jackson and Brown both welcomed Prince to the platform, who was also in the audience. As you can imagine, the crowd present went into a frenzy. 

Prince Performs “Purple Rain” in the Rain at the Super Bowl

Some big stars have headlined the Super Bowl Halftime Show over the years. Jackson, Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Aerosmith, Usher, and the list goes on. While each show has usually boasted a memorable moment or two, arguably nothing was more iconic than Prince singing “Purple Rain” in the actual rain at the Halftime Show for Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Check it out for yourself.

Prince Stars in ‘Purple Rain’ Movie 

Prince made his big acting debut in the semi-autobiographical classic Purple Rain in 1984. Admittedly, it’s not my favorite movie necessarily, but it means so much to pop culture. The film itself earned Prince an Oscar for Best Original Song (“Purple Rain’).  Plus, the movie led to arguably the greatest album of his career, Purple Rain. 

Prince Denies Quincy Jones’ On-Stage Request

The folklore behind the 1985 “We Are the World” track is well-known. Heck, Netflix even released a whole documentary about it titled The Greatest Night in Pop. Part of the folklore has been that Prince refused to sing on the track. 

Well, during the 10th anniversary celebration for the song at the 1995 American Music Awards, Prince happened to be on stage when a massive group of celebrities performed the song. He opted not to open his mouth and suck on a lollipop instead. When legendary producer Quincy Jones attempted to pass Prince a mic to sing, Prince comedically offered Jones the lollipop he was sucking on. The “When Doves Cry” singer certainly had personality. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Z1cADKY9vrM?si=4RKp1yEdzcoxaUBD

Prince Crushes a Guitar Solo for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Again, Prince was a musician, and his way with instruments was a beautiful sight to see. During the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, he joined Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, and Dhani Harrison on stage in a rendition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” to pay homage to the songwriter, George Harrison of The Beatles. 

When it came time for Prince’s guitar solo, he gave a performance that was beyond mesmerizing. He put on a show, and in true Prince fashion, left the stage by throwing the guitar.

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